Another item to note. The air vent for MK1a and MK1b also differ. From 1985 to 1986 the grill on its air vent is a split type (divided to two horizontal vents). The one from 1987 to 1989 the vents has a whole horizontal grill.
IK old video but I need to add clarification.. A lot of features listed as Optional stateside were in fact standard, they got "charged" as Optional features but where mostly US delivered with almost all of it, you could ask for one without the options to try to get a cheaper one, but generally you'd have to them wait for one to be optioned down & delivered, not the other way around being optioned up. US AW11 MR2s were for the most part shipped in the Japanese equivalent G-Limited trim, basically a luxury trim for the time, the G- part of that was for the -GE variant of the 4A, however because this was going to be the default trim of AW's the extra badging was omitted stateside (it's present in other markets), however internal American Toyota documents sometimes tend to reference that name even for the US martial, however 9 times out of 10 it's internally listed as a GT(or just G) trim (again not something the consumer really came across) but safety agencies did One notable mention is the earlier AW11 Mk1-"A"s actually had superior climate controls, in that that it had automatic climate system, that section under the radio (the reason a double-din will not fit) houses temperature sensor circuitry, + an itsy-bitsy tiny-weeny little cutesy sensor fan, (that's what those 3 small hole slits are for) more importantly in/on the dash/shroud there will be a hidden photo-voltaic sensor for tracking the sun, this ment the original AW11-"A"s were smart enough to know when the sun would start trying to heat the car up, and when it was in a shaded area, meaning it would actively try to permittivity adjust & maintain a cool temperature before the sun could do anything, rather than reactively respond to it after. This system was completely removed in the newer models, but the newer unit did offer motorized internal HVAC flaps, whereas the Automatic Climate unit from earlier cars had physically linked mechanism to the controls, IOW the units are not interchangable The automatic climate was axed in favour for the double-din radio space which I don't believe had an alternative choice in the US after it was introduced, same with the added 2 extra rear speakers, you pretty much had to get them, it was partially why the unit was larger to begin with. Having said that all the AW option audio versions featured the under-seat small pancake subwoofer under the driver's buttcrack in addition to the front left & right channels, this is why the options were 3 & 5, (again not really options) older ones had 3, newer ones had 5, the word option ment they could charge you extra for it🤷 ..same as with the Alloy Wheels they basically were built in Japan as delivered with mostly fake options (they came how Toyota planned for the dealership to sell them) the only really options were things that weren't bolted down to the car such as cargo mats, car covers, & stuff you'd have to had yourself, it's exactly why Americans couldn't add cupholders, because in Japan they actually offered the part whereas in the US they had little intention of taking things apart and replacing or adding bits, they kept things simple, it's also why for the original first couple years at least, an automatic option was not even offered for the 4A-GE, Toyota planned for one SKU to be sold & that was what they did, the preliminary handful of 1984 SOCH 4A-CE and transitional feature MR2s that squeaked through was just that, existing for transitional reasons, most weren't willing to wait for an optioned down AW to ship so few lesser AW11s even exist in the wild, and many AW11s were sold before they even arrived/built, at least that's what I remember seeing in my cars paperwork
Nice, thanks for comparison video. Going to pick up a mk2b in excellent condition tomorrow. Super excited! (No modifications, no missing parts, paint in decent condition, everything works!)
It will be all in the channel in due time, I hope :) but you need either an S54 or E153 trans out of a gen 2 mr2. www.primedriven.com sells a conversion kit for these which I am planning to use
Got a 1993 MR2 with 70000 miles and drives as well today as when I bought it. Only negative is that it does not work well in snow and black ice. Now I live in Florida it’s perfect!
It's because the spoiler is considered a composite spoiler like the side skirting & rear engine side air inlet being made of a type of fiberglass reinforced plastic composite. These were robust composites as to avoid cracking and thus not as light as we would typically associate with composite plastics. Not to be confused as regular plastic, though admittedly that 8 pound spoiler does look and feel deceivingly like regular plastic though I've been assured it is not.
Well that explains! Thank you for the info. No surprise the spoilers are damage free when all the other plastic trim pieces have cracked into a million pieces.
The passenger side vent is also different. The 1a has a flat air inlet and vents to a fan next to the engine to cool it down in slow traffic. The 1b has a scoop that leads to an air intake, that loops around the trunk, into the air filter on the drivers side of the trunk, then into the engine bay into the engine.
Something VERY IMPORTANT to note is that the electrical plugs for the wire harness in the engine bay is different between MK1A's and MK1B's. MK1A's have a square-type plug whereas MK1B's have rounded-square plugs
Mine I just picked up a week ago is one of the weird hybrids from 87. The two point steering wheel, roof antenna, but it has the different center console and front splitter
There actually is a difference in the shape of the windshield wiper controls and headlight controls between the 1a and 1b. Also yes mk1a could come with the sideskirts. I have a bone stock metallic black '86 with sideskirts
Hmm I have not paid attention to the wiper and headlight stocks and yes the skirts were available for the 86 but not for the 85s. 85 pretty much looks the worst of the bunch being the first year.
@@Doc_Here Owning an '85 I was on the same boat of liking the mk1b best, but in a twist I started liking the '85 best, just like how I starting liking the first countach with no wing or overfenders more. Maybe I just like the simplicity now.. Both are still great!
Great information! I am restoring an A model at the moment. I have had trouble with wheel bearings however. Could the wheel bearings and seals have been different between the years?
Oooo very nice, one thing I still wonder about is the side vent style. There was a stlye with split down the middle of the square vent, not sure if thats optional or MK1a thing
Good point. I think I actually missed it in the video. The mk1a has the split side vent which went away for mk1b. Also the split vent is made out of aluminum whereas the square one is fiberglass.
@@Doc_Here Oh, cool I bought a mk1B and it had the old style vent on it, but it went trough a lot so I wasnt sure if that could be stock Thanks for replying on an old vid :)
Not sure if this was the case 3 years ago, but the aw11’s with the moonroof/sunroof are considered more rare than the T tops, and the hard tops being the most rare. I much rather the T tops since they seem more useful and are cool in general.
The sunroof is easily taken out, and stored behind one of the seats, leaving a surprising amount of space to take in the sun and air. Also, i never had a problem with heavy rain leakage, which the TBars can be susceptible to. Regardless of versions though, Mk1's are the best MR2's and the 4A-GE is such a stunning little engine. I miss mine!
Let's Do It! I have a supercharged deck lid if you need one! Reply with your email if interested! Great comparison video; makes me wish I did one when I had 2 aw11’s.
Thank you for your comment. It may have started being manufactured in 1984 but the first "model year" at least here in US is 1985. Yes it could be optioned with a wing but this particular 1985 did not have that option.
Man ...... i hate u jajajaj na im jeluos you have both models but i love mr2mka ....if i have money i mix them up choose the best of them i do not like the Ttop . But for other hand both are aweson
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Another item to note. The air vent for MK1a and MK1b also differ. From 1985 to 1986 the grill on its air vent is a split type (divided to two horizontal vents). The one from 1987 to 1989 the vents has a whole horizontal grill.
I had an '86 4AGZE with a "whole horizontal grill".
Videos and comment sections like this are what will keep the mr2 on the road. Thank you
IK old video but I need to add clarification..
A lot of features listed as Optional stateside were in fact standard, they got "charged" as Optional features but where mostly US delivered with almost all of it, you could ask for one without the options to try to get a cheaper one, but generally you'd have to them wait for one to be optioned down & delivered, not the other way around being optioned up.
US AW11 MR2s were for the most part shipped in the Japanese equivalent G-Limited trim, basically a luxury trim for the time, the G- part of that was for the -GE variant of the 4A, however because this was going to be the default trim of AW's the extra badging was omitted stateside (it's present in other markets), however internal American Toyota documents sometimes tend to reference that name even for the US martial, however 9 times out of 10 it's internally listed as a GT(or just G) trim (again not something the consumer really came across) but safety agencies did
One notable mention is the earlier AW11 Mk1-"A"s actually had superior climate controls, in that that it had automatic climate system, that section under the radio (the reason a double-din will not fit) houses temperature sensor circuitry, + an itsy-bitsy tiny-weeny little cutesy sensor fan, (that's what those 3 small hole slits are for) more importantly in/on the dash/shroud there will be a hidden photo-voltaic sensor for tracking the sun, this ment the original AW11-"A"s were smart enough to know when the sun would start trying to heat the car up, and when it was in a shaded area, meaning it would actively try to permittivity adjust & maintain a cool temperature before the sun could do anything, rather than reactively respond to it after. This system was completely removed in the newer models, but the newer unit did offer motorized internal HVAC flaps, whereas the Automatic Climate unit from earlier cars had physically linked mechanism to the controls, IOW the units are not interchangable
The automatic climate was axed in favour for the double-din radio space which I don't believe had an alternative choice in the US after it was introduced, same with the added 2 extra rear speakers, you pretty much had to get them, it was partially why the unit was larger to begin with. Having said that all the AW option audio versions featured the under-seat small pancake subwoofer under the driver's buttcrack in addition to the front left & right channels, this is why the options were 3 & 5, (again not really options) older ones had 3, newer ones had 5, the word option ment they could charge you extra for it🤷
..same as with the Alloy Wheels they basically were built in Japan as delivered with mostly fake options (they came how Toyota planned for the dealership to sell them) the only really options were things that weren't bolted down to the car such as cargo mats, car covers, & stuff you'd have to had yourself, it's exactly why Americans couldn't add cupholders, because in Japan they actually offered the part whereas in the US they had little intention of taking things apart and replacing or adding bits, they kept things simple, it's also why for the original first couple years at least, an automatic option was not even offered for the 4A-GE, Toyota planned for one SKU to be sold & that was what they did, the preliminary handful of 1984 SOCH 4A-CE and transitional feature MR2s that squeaked through was just that, existing for transitional reasons, most weren't willing to wait for an optioned down AW to ship so few lesser AW11s even exist in the wild, and many AW11s were sold before they even arrived/built, at least that's what I remember seeing in my cars paperwork
Wow so much info! Thank you for the detailed additions
Nice, thanks for comparison video. Going to pick up a mk2b in excellent condition tomorrow. Super excited! (No modifications, no missing parts, paint in decent condition, everything works!)
Ive owned both mk1B and A. I think its a shame to update the black trim of a MK1A to a B. The black trim is part of the charm.
Not the fastest cars out there but man, the driving experience is something else.
It will be fast enough when I put the 3sgte in it if I don't blow the engine that is :D
Let's Do It! Do you know what’s needed to do the swap besides the engine? What type of trans, suspension parts etc
It will be all in the channel in due time, I hope :) but you need either an S54 or E153 trans out of a gen 2 mr2. www.primedriven.com sells a conversion kit for these which I am planning to use
Got a 1993 MR2 with 70000 miles and drives as well today as when I bought it. Only negative is that it does not work well in snow and black ice. Now I live in Florida it’s perfect!
Hahah that is a Toyota for you
It's because the spoiler is considered a composite spoiler like the side skirting & rear engine side air inlet being made of a type of fiberglass reinforced plastic composite.
These were robust composites as to avoid cracking and thus not as light as we would typically associate with composite plastics. Not to be confused as regular plastic, though admittedly that 8 pound spoiler does look and feel deceivingly like regular plastic though I've been assured it is not.
Well that explains! Thank you for the info. No surprise the spoilers are damage free when all the other plastic trim pieces have cracked into a million pieces.
The passenger side vent is also different. The 1a has a flat air inlet and vents to a fan next to the engine to cool it down in slow traffic. The 1b has a scoop that leads to an air intake, that loops around the trunk, into the air filter on the drivers side of the trunk, then into the engine bay into the engine.
I like the mk1a rear end, but I have a soft spot for that style of toyota rear end with the 2 big plate lights. Reminds me of my old 88 corolla
The spoiler package is more than the spoiler. It includes side skirts, mud flaps, rear visor that says Toyota and the rear spoiler.
Thanks so much for posting the video. Can’t wait until i see your restoration!
Something VERY IMPORTANT to note is that the electrical plugs for the wire harness in the engine bay is different between MK1A's and MK1B's. MK1A's have a square-type plug whereas MK1B's have rounded-square plugs
Mine I just picked up a week ago is one of the weird hybrids from 87. The two point steering wheel, roof antenna, but it has the different center console and front splitter
We need one of these on the MK2 with it's 5th revisions
They also have different rear suspensions, main parts are not interchangeable.
I did not know that either. We are creating a knowledge base here :)
interesting rear end on the Mk1B. never seen it like that in Switzerland our ''B''s have the Mk1a rear end
There actually is a difference in the shape of the windshield wiper controls and headlight controls between the 1a and 1b. Also yes mk1a could come with the sideskirts. I have a bone stock metallic black '86 with sideskirts
Hmm I have not paid attention to the wiper and headlight stocks and yes the skirts were available for the 86 but not for the 85s. 85 pretty much looks the worst of the bunch being the first year.
@@Doc_Here yeah, in my opinion the '86 looks best. I do have the ownership bias though
@@Doc_Here Owning an '85 I was on the same boat of liking the mk1b best, but in a twist I started liking the '85 best, just like how I starting liking the first countach with no wing or overfenders more. Maybe I just like the simplicity now.. Both are still great!
the 86 came with its own style front "lip"...and it came with sideskirts... my 86 has both... mine is a late 85 early 86 car
Great information! I am restoring an A model at the moment. I have had trouble with wheel bearings however. Could the wheel bearings and seals have been different between the years?
That I don't know unfortunately. Though I know that the hub assemblies are different between A and B since B has bigger brakes.
I have a 1989 Mk1b. Manual windows, manual locks, cruise control, black mirrors, no side skirts or front lip,
That is an odd ball indeed
Oooo very nice, one thing I still wonder about is the side vent style. There was a stlye with split down the middle of the square vent, not sure if thats optional or MK1a thing
Good point. I think I actually missed it in the video. The mk1a has the split side vent which went away for mk1b. Also the split vent is made out of aluminum whereas the square one is fiberglass.
@@Doc_Here Oh, cool
I bought a mk1B and it had the old style vent on it, but it went trough a lot so I wasnt sure if that could be stock
Thanks for replying on an old vid :)
Some mr2 I can see the odo clock is different which 180km and 240km. Could you help to tell if possible
Not sure if this was the case 3 years ago, but the aw11’s with the moonroof/sunroof are considered more rare than the T tops, and the hard tops being the most rare. I much rather the T tops since they seem more useful and are cool in general.
The sunroof is easily taken out, and stored behind one of the seats, leaving a surprising amount of space to take in the sun and air. Also, i never had a problem with heavy rain leakage, which the TBars can be susceptible to. Regardless of versions though, Mk1's are the best MR2's and the 4A-GE is such a stunning little engine. I miss mine!
My 86mr2 kb1,still running pain look bad rust too..119k miles...
Probably would require some modifications but would it be possible to fit a double din stereo in a aw11a?
It would be tough imo as the structure of the center consoles are different.
The paint on the mk2 could be brought back with cutting & buffing it first?
It is a little too late for that 🤣
omg you have the red seats I want to find a set of those so bad
And here I am wanting to find a supercharged engine lid so bad :D
@@Doc_Here lol I've got one... On my supercharged car tho 😂😂
I find your odds of finding those seats better than me finding that lid 😄
@@Doc_Here hahaha for the cost of a set of red seats im probably just gonna get mine customly redone
Let's Do It! I have a supercharged deck lid if you need one!
Reply with your email if interested!
Great comparison video; makes me wish I did one when I had 2 aw11’s.
The mr2 without the rear wing looks naked, thats crazy
I know right! Even though the wing has nearly zero practical downforce effect :D
Great car, great video! Too many cicadas…. Lol
The lip smacking is just god I just couldn't handle it
He was a good man *lip smack* what a rotten way to die.
Do u think a vq35 fit in the mr2 engine bay?
Sorry for the late response. Never looked into that particular swap option
poor neglected babies. I almost cried.
The Mk1a turned out too far gone so it is a parts car now. The Mk1b is in the process of being restored all primered now :)
@@Doc_Here That is good to know. Good for you, I hope your restoration goes well.
Quite a few false facts here, the mr2 started being manufactured 1984, the mk1 a also could come with a wing, ect.
Thank you for your comment. It may have started being manufactured in 1984 but the first "model year" at least here in US is 1985. Yes it could be optioned with a wing but this particular 1985 did not have that option.
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Man ...... i hate u jajajaj na im jeluos you have both models but i love mr2mka ....if i have money i mix them up choose the best of them i do not like the Ttop . But for other hand both are aweson
Yo yo yo yo yo yo yo
Thanks for hearting my comment after 6 months
A little long-winded but interesting.